2024 Genesis GV70 vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Ford Escape presented a departure from its earlier, more rugged design, embracing a European-inspired aesthetic. The refresh introduced a more traditional front end, featuring a centered Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. The ST-Line Elite trim, which was tested, showcased 19-inch wheels and body-color mirror caps, offering a sleek, upscale appearance akin to a Mazda CX-5. Inside, the Escape's diamond-stitched leather upholstery looked appealing but felt somewhat hard and plasticky. Despite this, the seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver's seat provided excellent long-distance driving comfort. However, the interior was dominated by plastic materials, some of which felt scratchy and poorly reinforced.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 stood out with its sleek design, maintaining brand-recognition features like split headlights and a large grille. It was sleeker than its larger sibling, the GV80, and avoided the quirkiness of the smaller GV60. The GV70's styling effectively balanced SUV presence with luxury-car elegance, surpassing competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 in finesse. The Electrified GV70 retained the gasoline model's styling, with a shiny grille housing the charge port for convenient charging. Inside, the GV70 boasted a distinctive interior with quilted Nappa leather upholstery and a panoramic sunroof. Unique design elements included an elliptical pod for climate controls and a rotary infotainment controller, adding a touch of innovation to the luxury experience.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine was available with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. Despite the impressive output, the Escape's suspension remained soft, prioritizing comfort over performance. The brakes provided predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness seen in some competitors.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, alongside an available 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Electrified GV70 featured front and rear electric motors, delivering a combined 429 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a Boost Mode providing 483 horsepower for short bursts. While the GV70 offered strong straight-line acceleration, its chassis tuning didn't match the sportiness of rivals like the Acura RDX or BMW X3. The suspension was reasonably comfortable but tended to crash over bumps, and the Electrified model maintained similar dynamics despite its additional weight.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided a comfortable interior with supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt good to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space, offering 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Rear-seat legroom was slightly less than rivals, but headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for taller passengers.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered competitive interior space, with slightly less headroom than the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, but more front-seat legroom than the BMW and Mercedes. Cargo space was 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats up, better than the Mercedes but less than the Audi. Folding the seats provided 56.9 cubic feet, less than its German rivals. The Electrified GV70's interior space was minimally impacted by the battery pack, with slight reductions in legroom and headroom. The stylish interior design, however, limited small-item storage, though a dedicated phone nook and rear-seat climate controls were included. The Electrified model featured automatic side bolsters for the front seats, enhancing support during spirited driving.

The 2023 Ford Escape featured the Sync 4 infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen standard on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen available on higher trims. The larger screen enhanced the cabin's look, and Sync 4 offered an organized layout with tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth. The system was easy to navigate, though it was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient. Despite these minor issues, Sync 4 impressed with its feature set and ease of use.

The 2024 Genesis GV70's infotainment system, while simpler than those in the BMW X3 or Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, was user-friendly. It featured a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster on lower trims, and a 12.3-inch unit with a 3D effect on higher trims. A 12-inch head-up display and a 16-speaker Lexicon audio system were also available. The touchscreen was intuitive, and the rotary controller offered a high-quality feel. Genesis included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles and a digital key function, allowing a phone to replace the key fob.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side-crash tests and four stars in the rollover test. The IIHS did not award it a Top Safety Pick designation due to a Marginal score in the updated side-impact test, though it received Good scores in other tests. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more. The optional Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, and lane-centering technology.

The 2024 Genesis GV70, both gasoline and Electrified versions, received the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award. NHTSA ratings for the 2024 model were incomplete, but the 2023 GV70 received a five-star overall rating. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. The available Highway Driving Assist 2 system added automated lane-change capability and blind-spot monitoring. Genesis also offered a safe exit assist function and a radar-based rear occupant alert system.